Improvement in cutting devices for reaping and mowing machines



NITED STATES PATENT -Frrcs.

THOS. HARDING, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSl-GNOR TO WARDER, BROKAW 4 & CHILD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN' CUTTING DEVICES FOR REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 19,894, dated April 6, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HARDING, of Springfield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and use ful improvement in Reaping and Mowing Machines, of which the following is full, clear,

and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure i represents a view in perspective of a machine to which my improvement has been applied, and Fig. 2 a view of a portion of the cutting apparatus detached from the machine to exhibit more clearly the improvement.

In the practical working of harvesting-machines it has been found that when the cut-' ting-edges of the sections of the scalloped knife have been so formed and set as to present the best angle for cutting, the length of play of the knife is insufficient to clear that part of the race formed in the divider. Hence the latter becomes choked up with wire-grass and other foreign matter, thus destroying that freedom of motion so essential tothe well working of the knife, and which isnot unfrequently the fruitful source of all the strains, bendings, and twistings of the sickle-bar which render the machine inoperative, to remedy which many plans have been essayed-such asattaching clearing-hooks to the end ofthe sicklebar, giving increased length to its stroke, &c.--

but all of which are more or lessiuefi'ectual, costly, and liable to render the working of the machine imperfect. The object ofmy improve ment is for the purpose of providing a new and simple mode of removing these defects; and it consists in so forming the last section of the knife that while its inner edge shall be at the proper angle for cutting the grain between the lingers its outer edge shall be set at such an angle as will prolong it sufficiently to pass through to the outer edge of the (livider, and. thus not only sever but eject such grass or other matter as may work into the race of the knife in the divider.

with the exception of the lastone, b-i. 6., the

section or blade on the end -of the sicklebar A which, while its edge at on the inside of the divider B describes a similar angle to the sicklebar A as the others for the purpose of cutting, has its other edge,y, prolongated orset at an angle of thirty degrees, more or less, according to the width of the divider-that is to say,if the breadth of the divider is very great the angle. will be less, and vice versa, the principle bev ing to make that edge long enough and with an angle sufficient as well to cut as to eject such grass or other matter as may work into the knife-race, for which purpose, if necessary, the distance from the apex to the base-line may be increased.

Having thus described my improvement, whatv I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement on the end of the sicklebar A next the divider of a cutting and clearing section, b, as constructed, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of April, A D. 1857.

THOMAS HARDING.

Witnesses:

Ross MITCHELL, GIDEON SMLTH. 

